The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-10
Queer Appetites.

Ter species of sea-snail that adheres
70 the rocks. The Eollander reIishes
y feast of decayed shark, yet looks
with horror on bread and butter.
The Japanese have a prejudice against
milk and beef, but will enjoy stewed
or roasted rat. The Turks shudder
al the thought of eating oysters.
The Digger Indians of the Pacific
slope rejoiced in the great locust
lswarms of 1875 as a gracious dlspen-
satlon of the Great Spirit. and laid
in a store of dried locust powder
sufficient TO last them for several
years.
SIC French VIII eat frogs. snaiIs
and the diseased Iivers of geese, but
draw the line at aligators.
Buckland declares the taste of boa
constructor good. and much like veal.
Sir Robert Schomberg found mon
key very palatabIe, though he says
that before being carved it looked
disagreeahly like roast child.
Quass, the fermented cabbage water
of the Russians, is their popular
tipple. 1t is described as resembling
IA mixture of stale fish and soapsuds
in taste, yet. next to beer, it has more
vOtaries than any other fermented
beverage. A tallow candle washed
down with quass forms meal that
it would be hard to be thankful for.
In Canton and other Chinese cities
rats are sold at the rate of 81 dozen,
and the hind quarters of dogs are
hung up in tine butchers shops along
side Of mutton and lamb, but com
mand a higher price. The edible
birds nests of the Chinese are worth
twice their weight in silver, the finest
variety selling for as much as $50 a
pound.
The negroes of the West Indies eat
baked snakes and palm worms fried
in their own fat. but they can not be
induced to eat stewed rabbits.
In Mexico parrots are eaten, but
they are rather tough.
The Guachos of the Badda Orien-
tai are in the habit of hunting skunks
for the sake of their flesh.
In Kaskaskia, town on the banks
of the Mississippi, Musical jack"
or fried rattlesnakes decapitated and
skinned, and showing meat as white
and firm as a chicken, is standard
dish.
The octopus, or devil-fish, when
boiled and then roasted, is eaten in
Corsica and esteemed a great delicacy.
In the Pacific Islands and West
Indies lizards eggs are eaten with
great gu>to. Yhe natives of the
Antilles eat alligator eggs, and the
egg, Of the turtle are popular every
where, though up to the commence
ment Of the last century turtle was
only eaten by the poor Of Jamaica.
Ants are eaten by various nations.
In Brazil they are served with a re-
sinouS sauce, and in Africa they are
steWed with grease or butter. The
East Indians catch them in pits and
carefully wash them in handfuls, like
raisins. In Siam a curry IF ants
eggs is costly luxury.
The Ceylonese eat the bees after
rohhing them of their honey.
CaterpIarS and spiders are dain-
ties TO the African bushman.
After they have wound the silk
FROM the cocoon the Chinese eat the
crysaIis of the silk worm,
Spiders roasted are a sort of desert
with the New Caledonians.
The Viennese are the great snail
eaters in the world. The town of
Ulm, on the Danube, is the principal
place where snails are fattened for
the market. Those which are fattened
on strawberries command the highest
price, while 10000 are annually ex-
ported from the isle of Crete. The
great African snail, that attains a
length of eight inches, is converted
into soup.
Cocks combs are considered a deli.
cacy in the Paris restaurants, while
the Byiton swallows shrimps in then
| putiratv